LENTILS EXPLAINED

                                                             LENTILS

Nowadays, the young generation is getting more and more into healthier options to stay fit and in shape. One of the most sought after diet appears to be Protein Diet. For vegetarians especially , the best source for proteins are lentils which along with their complex carbohydrate content can help reduce unwanted weight and simply by incorporating protein intake through regular meals, one can refrain from indulging into buying expensive protein powders and protein bars etc. available in the shops.
Protein and complex carbohydrates help maintain a steady blood sugar level resulting in alertness as compared to simple carbohydrate meals which spike up the blood sugar very quickly and reduce as quickly resulting in tiredness and inability to focus.

The easiest way to include protein into our diet is to opt for lentil based meals instead of simple carbohydrate based such as bread,pizza,pasta,white rice.

LEMON RASAM

LEMON RASAM

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup tuvar dal (or masoor dal or yellow mung dal) 

juice of 1 lime

1 tomato - crushed 

a pinch of asafoetida

1/2 bunch coriander leaves

salt to taste

To temper:

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp ghee or oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

a few curry leaves

Rasam Powder  2 tbsp

( In case you don't have Rasam Powder , go ahead and use cumin powder and black pepper powder )

METHOD:

Wash and cook tuvar dal till tender

Mash or blend it

Add tomato,masala powder,asafoetida,coriander leaves and salt to taste.

Add 3 cups of water.Bring it to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add lime juice and remove from the stove.

Temper with mustard and cumin seeds

Serve hot


NOTE: It helps cut down on the cooking time to almost half if dal is washed and soaked for half an hour or a couple of hours. 

Parathas

PARATHAS

Simple Indian Flat Bread

Parathas are so simple to make that one need not buy bulk produced Naan or Pita bread. These can be made in minutes and fits into an incredibly low budget.

This recipe will yield 4 to 6 Parathas.

One must be brave and try to make it at least once !

 Ingredients:

1. Whole Wheat flour - 2 cups
2. Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp to add in the flour
3. Oil to shallow fry - a few tbsps at the most
4. Salt to taste - 1/5 tsp should be enough
5. Water

Method:

1. In a deep bowl, add flour ,salt and 2 tbsp oil. Mix well with your fingers.
2. Keep adding a little bit of water and kneading until the dough has a soft pliable consistency.
3. Cover with a tea towel and leave it aside for at least 10 minutes. 
4. Apply little bit of oil to your palm and knead the dough for a minute or so.
5. Divide into 4-6 equal sized balls.
6. Heat a griddle on medium heat.
7. Coat each ball in flour and roll out into rounds.The thickness depends on your liking.
8. Cook one side, flip it over, smear a little bit of oil. 
9. Flip it again and smear oil on the other side.
10. Press with a ladle each time .
11. Cook until light brown spots appear on each side.

GAAJAR HALWA

GAAJAR HALWA

( CARROT HALWA )

A very simple dessert and healthy too !

Great with vanilla ice cream.

INGREDIENTS:

Carrots - 500 gms  Peeled,washed and grated
Milk     -  1 Litre
Sugar   -   to taste
Cardamom powder - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ( more if you prefer )
Ghee (clarified butter )  -  4 Tbsp ( less if you want to cut down on fat )


METHOD:

1. Heat ghee in a non stick pan. Add carrots. Stir for a minute.
2. Add milk.
3. Cook in milk on medium to low heat until thick consistency.Keep stirring every few minutes so that it does not stick to the pan.
4. Add sugar. Mix. Cook further until moisture evaporates.
5. Add cardamom powder just before removing from the fire.
6. Mix well.

If you like, you can add kesar (saffron). It should be soaked in a little bit of milk and then rubbed with fingers to release the colour and fragrance.

Pour it in right at the end when you add cardamom.

GLUTEN FREE GRAINS

                                                         GLUTEN FREE GRAINS

I have compiled together information about gluten free grains  in an effort to help one find it simpler to figure out the options when on a gluten free diet.
In an upcoming post, I will suggest how one can replace wheat based recipes and adapt it to suit a gluten free diet.

Please note that all varieties of LENTILS  are GLUTEN FREE.

1. RICE
2. WILD RICE
3. OATS
4. BUCKWHEAT
5. QUINOA
6. PEARL MILLET
7. SORGHUM
8. TEFF
9. CORN
10. RAAGI
11. WATER CHESTNUT 
12. CHICK PEA FLOUR

Capsicum with chick pea flour

CAPSICUM WITH CHICK PEA FLOUR

This is one of my most favourite dish. It is yummy with plain chapati and kadhi or even with just rice and kadhi or any simple dal.    

Certain ingredients are optional because it's quite normal that when one does not have a full fledged pantry, all the ingredients might not be available. It is absolutely fine to go ahead and try a recipe with whatever ingredients you have handy because home made food is way better than any restaurant food.

I will be posting variations of this dish in my upcoming posts.

Peppers or Capsicum are alkaline . They are very good for the metabolism.

INGREDIENTS:                 

• 2 Peppers - same colours or different ones
• 2 tablesppons oil (vegetable or olive oil)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
• Asafoetida (Hing) a pinch  ( optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp dessicated coconut ,fresh or dry (optional)
• 4 tbsp Gram flour (Besan)  
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Coriander Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt (more to taste )

METHOD:

1. In a bowl, mix gram flour, 1 tbsp oil ,turmeric,chilly powder,coriander cumin powder and salt. Make sure there are no lumps.
2. Wash and cut the peppers into cubes
3. In a non stick pan, on a medium heat, add 1 tbsp oil
4. When the oil is warm,add mustard seeds and sesame seeds.Let them crackle or change colour 
5. Sprinkle asafoetida
6. Add the peppers and stir well.Cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and stir once again. Reduce the heat.
7. Sprinkle  the gram flour mixture evenly.Cover and cook for further 5 minutes.
8. Mix well. Cover and cook further for 2 minutes
9. Sprinkle chopped coriander and shredded coconut 
10. If you like to add more salt to your taste , sprinkle at this stage and mix well

                                         BANANA BREAD (FAT FREE )

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups flour ( white flour or wholewheat or any concoction. Should be 2 cups )
2. 1/2 cup applesauce ( Recipe not yet posted on my blog)
3. 4 lage overripe bananas - mashed
4. 2 eggs ( or 4 egg whites )
5. 3/4 cup Brown Sugar ( Or part any sugar and part honey, or just honey )
6. 1 tsp baking soda
7. 1 tsp vanilla 
8. 1 tsp cinnamon powder
9. 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175 C
2. Mix the flour,baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Mix brown sugar ( or an alternative) and applesauce until smoothly blended.
4. Add 2 eggs , vanilla and mashed bananas to the sugar mix and blend well.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry and fold until all ingredients are wet.
6. Grease a 9 x 5 inch bread pan and pour the mixture into it.
7. Bake on 175 C for 60 or 70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 
8. Cool a bit before serving.

Notes:

1. If really overripe bananas are used , the amount of sugar or any other sweetner can be reduced.
2. Part of the flour can be replaced by powdered oatmeal.
3. In order to bake  healthier ,you can try mixing parts of buckwheat flour or ragi flour or even spelt flour . Just make sure your measure of flour does not exceed 2 cups.